The Shaykh gave other examples from the Sunnah warning against naming certain forbidden things by other names, as mentioned in the hadith: “They make intoxicants lawful by calling them by other names…”

The Shaykh : And there are other examples of this. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned us about them in some authentic hadiths, such as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) In some Islamic countries, unfortunately, they call them “alcoholic beverages” or “spirituous beverages,” and some call them … and similar soft terms that entice their owners to consume and drink them. And it is not just this; many Muslims have strayed and been afflicted due to their extreme heedlessness and distance from the hadiths of their Prophet by naming other things by names other than their true names. So, do you hear in these many transactions taking place between the masses of people and the numerous banks scattered throughout Islamic countries, do you hear the word *riba* (usury or interest), or do you hear the word “interest”? The word *riba* has been abolished from the dictionary of Muslims today, even though it was mentioned repeatedly in the Book of Allah and in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Nevertheless, you hardly hear this dangerous word, which was mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah, from Muslims. Instead, you hear the substitute for it, which prevails over the mention of *riba* with its softness; they call it by another name, calling it “interest.” In this hadith, there is an indication that if Muslims come to a time when they resort to the slightest stratagems to commit what Allah has forbidden, then that is what they deserve: that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) will humiliate them through others who were previously humiliated by the Muslims. This is one of the types of diseases and ailments that the Messenger (peace be upon him) mentioned in this hadith …